The Toughest Season

Get up to date on the plight of the Ax Men. This special takes you back to the beginning and re-introduces you to the men of the various Oregon logging companies as they work in some of the most dangerous conditions around to do their jobs.

1 :01x01 - Man vs. Mountain

Deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, rugged men make their living doing one of the deadliest jobs in the world... logging. Their mission is to retrieve timber perched on mountainsides too steep to access with machines, but it's no easy task. Plagued by mechanical failures, relentless weather, and unpredictable terrain, these brave men risk their lives retrieving the timber with which we built our country. Meet four companies trying to survive each day. Pihl Logging--a rag-tag group of loggers based in Vernonia, Oregon. Gustafson Logging--a close-knit crew working one of the most dangerous jobs in the region. J.M. Browning--the best of the best. Stump Branch Logging--the young guns with a lot to prove. These are the Ax Men.

2 :01x02 - Risk and Reward

Just days into the fall logging season, the Ax Men are already being put to the test. J.M. Browning races to meet a big deadline. Stump Branch Logging tempts fate by jury-rigging their old equipment. The Gustafson Company races mother nature as they attempt to build a road to access their logging site. Father teaches son the lessons of logging as the men of the Pihl Company haul in the forest's cash crop.

3 :01x03 - Storm Season Strikes

As a storm closes in on the Oregon coast, the Ax Men race to stay one step ahead. Jesse continues to push the J.M. Browning crew to meet its looming deadline, while muddy roads trap trucks on their way to the Stump Branch site. Robby battles for control of the Gustafson crew. Pihl Logging feels the effects of the slumping lumber market.

4 :01x04 - The Big Hit

Across Northwest Oregon, the Ax Men continue to grind it out. Storm season arrived with a vengeance--shutting some crews down while others struggled to stay afloat. Now a bigger storm is brewing. The stalled housing market's effects are hitting the Ax Men hard. Jobs will be shut down; men will be put out of work. This week, the housing market hits home.

5 :01x05 - Market Meltdown

The loggers of the Pacific Northwest perform what is said to be North America's most dangerous job. Watch as the men react to news of upcoming layoffs. Gustafson Logging tries to get back on track, Browning Logging races to meet a big deadline and Pihl Logging needs to finish the Pig Farm Job. Despite Melvin's best efforts to keep up with his old equipment, Stump Branch Logging loses one of its most important machines.

6 :01x06 - Reversal of Fortune

Logging has been called North America's most dangerous job. Logging giants throughout Oregon are falling. Two of the biggest--J.M. Browning and Gustafson Logging--are fighting to survive. Jay Browning, usually flush with lucrative deals, is forced to make tough decisions. Gustafson Logging is down but not out. Smaller outfits, like Stump Branch and Pihl, find winning strategies in their young leaders.

7 :01x07 - The Close Call

The season is halfway through, and the gap between winners and losers is widening. Stump Branch tests a new but more dangerous logging strategy... and it poses great danger to the men in the rigging. The Pihl men play while the bosses are away. Browning Logging is a team divided. Jesse struggles to prove himself to his father... but faulty equipment isn't helping matters. A mistake on the Gustafson crew may end one man's career.

8 :01x08 - Loggers Under Fire

In the wake of the plummeting logging market, the Ax Men are barely surviving. The Gustafson bosses have a close call while taking over for their laid-off crew. An old hook tender returns to the Browning team, stopping Jesse's ascension to company management. Pihl loses a crucial member of the team as it struggles to finish Pig Farm. At Stump Branch, the young guns take matters into their own hands when Melvin has to leave the site.

9 :01x09 - A Logger's Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving arrives; winter weather strikes and the men of Pihl lose one man after another to illness. The younger crew members of Gustafson blow off steam while the bosses toil away. Jay is forced to ax some of the Browning gang staff. The season's first snow is a warning of things to come for the Stump Branch crew.

10 :01x10 - Black Friday

Thanksgiving is over, but the return to work brings more trouble for the Ax Men. The Gustafson crew now faces a nearly impossible deadline after returning from a devastating two-week layoff. Pig Farm is close to its deadline, but half of the Pihl crew skips work, leaving greenhorn Cody to pick up the slack. Mistakes and inexperience at Stump Branch put profits and lives at risk. Jay Browning makes a troubling discovery about his next job.

11 :01x11 - Storm of the Century

The town of Vernonia is declared a disaster area as the worst storm in 25 years pounds the Oregon coast. Members of Pihl and Stump Branch are forced to flee. Jay Browning can't be found. Darrell must act fast to save his house from falling trees as the town of Astoria descends into a blackout. The future of the logging industry is in jeopardy.

12 :01x12 - Picking Up the Pieces

With the storm behind them the Ax Men are prepared to get back on the job. Darrell's startling discovery may mean the end for the Challenge job. The Stump Branch crew must figure out a Plan B and find missing greenhorn Michael. With the phone service still down, Jay Browning has problems gathering his troops together. The Pihl crew bails out one of its own.

13 :01x13 - The Final Haul

Road to Season 2

A preview of the season 2 from the reality series, including an introduction of the new crew.

14 :02x01 - Ax Men Cometh

A pair of new companies are introduced in the season 2 opener, one being a father and son team and the other is a crew of diving loggers.

15 :02x02 - Initiation Day

A novice logger tries to earn the respect of the seasoned crews. A huge underwater log is chosen to be rescued by a father and son team of loggers.

16 :02x03 - By Air, Land and Sea

Work begins for a new helicopter-logging crew. A greenhorn is challenged to climb up a 100-foot high tree. A prized log rolls away from Jimmy and James.

17 :02x04 - Moby Dick Strikes

A deadhead log dubbed "Moby Dick" is giving Jimmy and James a battle. Meanwhile, the bosses clash over greenhorn, Brad, and Conner Aviation must make a choice between safety and production.

18 :02x05 - The King Crumbles

A greenhorn finds himself struggling just to keep his job. A pilot is trapped when fog rolls in. Dustin is facing a life-and-death situation. And Jimmy encounters a problem which may threaten his business.

19 :02x06 - Lost in the Fog

A helicopter is trapped when a fog rolls over a mountain; Jimmy's barge is threatened to be destroyed; and a crew of a downhill logging site faces challenges.

20 :02x07 - One Weak Link

Jimmy discovers a once-in-a-lifetime log, as the Pihl Logging team is challenged by formidable lumber. Also, the helicopter's team finds their weak link in their operation, the new pilot.

21 :02x08 - The Ax Falls

The bosses weigh through some tough decisions concerning the new guys, and one greeenhorn will be released.

22 :02x09 - Fresh Meat

The crews receive some new loggers. Then, a search is conducted when a cutter disappears. Also, tempers flare among the aqua loggers.

23 :02x10 - Clash of the Titans

A new pilot endangers the helicopter when he becomes reckless. Bad weather delays the aqua loggers; and a greenhorn attempts to prove himself.

24 :02x11 - The Reckoning (1)

The crews rush to meet their goals as logging season nears it's end, and one logger is let go.

25 :02x12 - The Reckoning (2)

The season two finale finds a fight erupting within one crew. Elsewhere, Jimmy has trouble with his barge, and a pair of crews are facing disasters.

26 :03x01 - Ax to Grind

It's the dead heat of summer and this season the stakes are higher than ever. From mountaintop to river's bottom, six crews will take on one of America's deadliest jobs in search of green gold. In this episode, Ax Men is logging coast to coast. Shelby the "Swamp Man" Stanga braves gator-infested waters in search of sunken treasure. Browning, Rygaard, and Pihl are locked in competition as the brutal summer weather heats up.

27 :03x02 - Deeper into the Swamp

28 :03x03 - Diving for Dollars

29 :03x04 - Boiling Point

30 :03x05 - Surviving the Swarm

31 :03x06 - Showdown

32 :03x07 - Chopping Block

33 :03x08 - Assault by Air

34 :03x09 - Crash and Burn

35 :03x10 - Curse of Kalina

36 :03x11 - End of the Line

37 :03x12 - Eleventh Hour

38 :03x13 - King of the Mountain

39 :04x01 - Alaska

40 :04x02 - Sink or Swim

41 :04x03 - Day From HELL

42 :04x04 - Manhunt

43 :04x05 - Battle for Survival

44 :04x06 - Judgement Day

45 :04x07 - Under Fire

46 :04x08 - Overboard

47 :04x09 - Lock & Load

48 :04x10 - Fallout Zone

49 :04x11 - Tipping Point

50 :04x12 - King of the Hill

King of the Mountain J.M. Browning returns with son Jesse leading the charge. At Rygaard and Pihl, both companies face season-ending crises. In Florida, James hires a new deckhand but takes a serious blow to the head.

51 :04x13 - Fraying at the Edges

Competition between American loggers is more heated than ever.. up north, there's a new game in town. Canadian big dogs Lemare Lake Logging are facing one of the toughest jobs of their career, a patch of land accessible only by boat.

52 :04x14 - This Means War

From coast to coast, logging companies are willing to do anything to stay on top. At Browning, the crew gambles on a slipping skyline. In the bayou, Shelby puts his swamp buggy to the test pulling one of the biggest logs of the season. At Rygaard, Craig mounts an assault to get rid of Dave. In Florida, Joe Collins takes the plunge into the black waters of the Suwannee while S&S tries to regroup with the help of local deckhand Casey Roberson. And in Canada, Lemare receives devastating news that could end their season before it ever gets going.

53 :04x15 - The Mouth from the South

There's a new crop of loggers in Ax Men country... but fitting in with the old guard ain't easy. In Louisiana, a beauty queen quickly pushes all of Shelby's buttons at once. At Lemare, Steve and the greenhorn butt heads that ends with one of them quitting. In Florida, S&S's newest deckhand gets more Jimmy Smith than he can handle. At Papac Alaska, Joe and Coatsy get a chance to bury the hatchet... but at Rygaard, the bad blood between Craig and Dave is worse than ever and is on the verge of tearing the crew apart.
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54 :04x16 - Blast Off

A washed-out road threatens the work of Lemare loggers; Rygaard's Gabe has a surprise for his crew; Shelby makes his wife his new assistant; and Joe and Swilley accidentally sink their boat while hauling a huge log

55 :04x17 - Man Down

As the logging season winds down, the pressure to produce, heats up. In Alaska, a family emergency takes Mark from the yarder seat and with no time for a shut down... Papac calls on the only guy with experience running the massive machine: Joe Linderborg. Meanwhile the men of Rygaard are feasting at the Honey Hole, pulling big wood and riding high. Down south on the Suwannee, Jimmy and James try to close the gap in the Log-Off while Joe and Swilley just try to get back on the water. And in the Louisiana bayou, a ghost threatens to derail Shelby.

56 :04x18 - Final Countdown

It's time to finish the season strong. In Florida, the Log-Off is locked in a dead heat, and with Joe and Swilley sidelined after sinking their second boat, Jimmy and James are poised to take the top spot. Swamp man Shelby Stanga's log buyer is due in the morning, but a bite from a water moccasin may kill his plans for success. At Rygaard, Craig kicks Dave off the landing, but one moment of inattention could be the end for former chaser. At Browning, the crew battles a patch of tangled timber, and north of the border, the men of Lemare are racing to stay ahead of winter storms that could shut them down at any time.

57 :04x19 - Fever Pitch

58 :04x20 - Down to the Wire

59 :05x01 - Ax Is Back

It's a new season of Ax Men and a new battle for "king of the mountain." Papac returns as reigning king of the mountain, but the stress of maintaining the title pushes hook tender Coatsy over the edge. Rygaard's dangerous blowdown site fights them at every turn. Shelby Stanga needs to start this season strong, but a gruesome accident puts him dead in the water. Veteran Pihl cutter Levi Brown breaks out on his own, and a new yarder company joins the competition. S&S logging returns to Florida to log against new rivals, but infighting trumps the competition.

60 :05x02 - Damage Control

Swamp Man Shelby Stanga is hired to remove a log from private property, but complications lead to disaster. Infighting reaches a fever pitch at S&S Aqua Logging, while the competition has a run-in with Mother Nature. A familiar face returns to Papac, much to Coatsy's dismay. Gabe Rygaard takes Dave out cutting, but things go awry. And the rookies of Big Gun Logging are adding to their ranks.

61 :05x03 - No Pain, No Gain

Jimmy Smith is smitten with his new assistant, while rivals Uncle Buck and Swilley push their equipment to the breaking point. Shelby Stanga scouts his newest log order with his darling wife Donna. Big Gun Logging faces an uncertain future when owner Levi Brown is admitted to the hospital. And at Rygaard and Papac, the chainsaws bite back.

62 :05x04 - Hell Hole

At Papac Alaska, the site is turned upside down when the yarder operator walks off in the middle of the day. In Florida, Swilley's determination to beat S&S in the Suwannee River Log Off leads to a life threatening mistake. With their leader still in the hospital, Big Gun Logging loses control of the Ole Keasy site. At Rygaard, the rigging crew is learning safety lessons the hard way. And in the swamp, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

63 :05x05 - Cowboy Up

Start-up outfit Big Gun Logging hits a snag as their deadline approaches. In Florida, Buck & Swilley make a run for the lead in the Log-Off while Jimmy deals with a crew crisis. Shelby Stanga enlists the help of a voodoo team to get his cousin's ghost under wraps. In Washington, a string of accidents on Craig's watch threatens to shut down the site. And in the mountains Montana, a new company joins the ranks of the Ax Men, forcing everyone to "cowboy up!"

64 :05x06 - Fists of Fury

It's a fight to the death between Shelby Stanga and a massive standing tree. At Rygaard, the bad blood between Dave and Fernando boils over. In Alaska, Papac's men are on the run when two machines get tangled up while in Florida, Buck and Swilley raise the stakes. And in Montana, the newcomers from Siderius Logging are gambling on life and limb.

65 :05x07 - Wake-up Call

Shelby Stanga works with his new assistant; young cutter Travis shows his chops while in a perilous situation in Montana; and infighting ceases after a close call in Washington.

66 :05x08 - Out of Control

Big Gun Logging is back to face sheer rock cliffs and a new crop of greenhorns. At Papac, a widow-maker threatens to take out Coatsy and the camera crew. At Rygaard, a gamble gets out of control, causing a blowout between father and son. On the Suwanee River, Jimmy and James hit rock bottom, as Buck and Swilley discover a dangerous sweet spot. And in Louisiana, Shelby and his cousin Kelly are on the hunt.

67 :05x09 - Rygaard vs. Rygaard

Jimmy and James head to anger management after years of clashing; Gabe announces a gutsy plan involving yarders; Shelby tangles with an assistant; horse loggers in Virginia try to prove their worth; and a Big Gun greenhorn must move on.

68 :05x10 - Down & Dirty

The season hits the halfway mark, and everyone is upping his game. In the swamp, Shelby and cousin Belinda are under the gun to find a huge Cypress. In Florida, S&S hires a new diver but says goodbye to an old one. In Montana, the cowboys of Siderius must break in their greenhorn without breaking him for good. And at Rygaard, two yarders bring in twice the wood and twice the trouble.

69 :05x11 - Let 'Er Rip

As the season moves on, everyone's going to greater lengths to stay on top. At Papac, an accident sends one man over the edge of the landing. In horse country, the loggers take to new heights in order to get the final tree of the job on the ground. At Siderius, greenhorn Jesse Kelleher is in need of redemption. And in the bayou, the swamp man gets into a shootout with another logger who's after Shelby's profits.

70 :05x12 - Burning the Bear

In the swamp, the battle between Shelby Stanga and his nemesis Richard comes to a head. On the river, Buck and Swilley's boat goes boom. At Big Gun, one of their greenhorns shows his dark side. And at Papac, Joe and Coatsy bury the hatchet.

71 :05x13 - Where's Willy

On the mountain, Gabe's two-yarder plan goes further off track when one crew member defects to the other team. Big Gun races their tightest deadline yet, while in Alaska, Joe and the new guy get into it. On the river, an accident could take S&S out of the Log-Off for good, and in the swamp, Shelby's trusty assistant Willy goes missing.

72 :05x14 - Falling Apart

From Alaska to the bayou, the hits are coming fast and hard. At Rygaard, a crew shakeup leaves everyone scrambling. In Florida, the tides are turning as S&S suffers a blow while Buck & Swilley get unexpected help from James. In Alaska, Papac takes to the open seas for a fishing trip, while, Big Gun must bring in a new yarder operator to have a chance at conquering their dangerous downhill site. And in the swamp, an accident may cost Shelby another one of his assistants.

73 :05x15 - Up in Flames

As the season enters the homestretch, everyone is risking more to stay on top. Jimmy Smith braves the depths of the Suwannee River for the first time in three years, but his fears may get the better of him. In the swamp, Shelby also takes on an old enemy--the log that flipped his winch last season. In Montana, the boys of Siderius are playing fast and loose, while at Rygaard, the crew pushes their yarder to the brink of disaster.

74 :05x16 - Family Rivalry

At Rygaard, Gabe's two yarder sides are reunited, but the infighting that's plagued them all year is worse than ever. In Florida, the alliance between Team Buck and James Smith comes to a bitter end. At Papac, Joe's hard-yarding style sends the rigging crew running for cover. In the swamp, Shelby Stanga won't stop until he gets his revenge. And in New Hampshire, two new teams of ox loggers enter the race.

75 :05x17 - Swamp Gold

Shelby stumbles upon something of potentially great value in the swamp; Craig and Wayne prank Dave in Washington; personality clashes in New Hampshire lead to ox-logger walk-offs; and James returns to S&S on the Suwannee.

76 :05x18 - Up in Smoke

Shelby searches for gold in Lake Pontchartrain; a log-off in Florida goes to sudden death; and a potentially disastrous mistake occurs at Big Gun.

77 :05x19 - Betting It All

From Alaska to Florida, one of the toughest seasons on record is almost over. At Papac, pushing hard pushes Joe to his breaking point, while at Rygaard, Dave has officially worn out his welcome. On the Suwannee, the teams are fighting to win the final round of the Log-Off, but a season's worth of bad blood between Jimmy and James comes to a head. In Louisiana, the Swamp Man gambles on a helicopter to search for a multi-million dollar sunken log raft.

78 :05x20 - The Ax Stops Here

It's the nail-biting conclusion of the race to be crowned King of the Mountain. While Papac battles to bring their yarder operator back from the brink, Craig Rygaard forces Gabe to choose between him and Dave. At Big Gun, Levi drops a bomb, while in the swamps of Louisiana, Shelby's in a desperate race to find swamp gold. And in Florida, the Great Suwannee River Log-Off comes to a close, but when Jimmy doesn't like the results, he takes matters into his own hands.